Even though I would never let my attire hinder having an extraordinary travel experience, for me proper planning does include a Google search for the latest fashion trends of wherever I am going to visit. Mostly, to avoid having “Tourist” stamped across my forehead. As if having a camera hanging around my neck wasn’t a convincing enough sign. Deciding what to wear in London was a process that mostly focused on hunting for the cute and comfortable travel boots. But, what I should have been focusing on was skirts, stockings and skinnys.
London is full of extremely well-dressed folks wearing proper blue suits, mid-thigh skirts, skinny pants and stockings in a variety of colors.
I rarely see women wearing stockings in my Northern California hometown and I have not owned a pair since the 90s. We are very casual in Sonoma County; jeans and a blouse is evening attire. This wouldn’t have been proper for what to wear in London.
Londoners are pretty dapper dressers.
What to Wear in London (& What I Wore)
Most ladies donned the simplest black stockings, but several others got creative with color and pattern.
Boots were all the rage, just not the knee-high ones that I had painstakingly purchased. Anything mid-calf or lower was fashionable, in particular ankle boots.
Note to self: Get a pair of ankle boots before heading back to London.
Skinny jeans, which are a fantastic boot companion, were scattered throughout the streets. Mostly on men. And they came in an assortment of shades, the least popular being the standard blue jean.
Suits & Ties: The pubs, London underground and shops were filled with them. That is something I could get used to. Easily.
When I packed my suitcase, I did some things right…and some things wrong.
The Good: Not only did my large crossbody bag fit my DSLR camera, maps and guidebooks, but it was also in style. Another good is that I only brought skinny jeans.
The Bad: The puffy jacket was so “hot” in Italy two years ago, not so much in London today. My knee-high Leslie Sharon boots gave me miles of comfort, but not a place on the cities best dressed list.
Do you research fashion trends before traveling? Do you go for comfort or style when traveling?
Traveling Soon? Use my Favorite Resources for Booking Your Trip!
Book Your Flight
Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine, because it checks dozens of airlines so you can easily find the best fare deals. You can also select ‘cheapest month’ to find the lowest fares for your destination (I use this all the time!).
Book Your Accommodations
I use both Booking.com and Expedia for hotels, because each offers a couple different hotel choices and I like to compare the reviews on each one. If you have a group or are looking for more of a home atmosphere, head over to VRBO or AirBNB that has houses, apartments and even just a room for rent in every price range.
Book Your Rental Car
If love the freedom to explore like I do, driving from place to place is the best option! I always book with Discover Cars for the best prices and top brand options.
Book Some Fun Tours!
Viator and Get Your Guide are my go-to search engines for cool bucket list experiences! Each one can have different tours, so check both—why limit yourself, right?
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel can be unpredictable. Whether it’s a last-minute cancellation, an injury, or (ugh) theft, things happen. That’s why I recommend never leaving the country without travel insurance. Here are my faves: Safety Wing and World Nomads.
Get Packing & Travel Essentials Ready
Check out the Bucket List Journey Amazon Store to find all my favorite travel essentials. Everything from Packing cubes, to travel adapters and toiletry containers to walking shoes.
*Lastly, check travel.state.gov for visa requirements and safety information.
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Learn Sign Language While Drinking at the Oldest Wine Bar in London
What I always find funny in London is these very neatly dressed (business looking) women… walking around on running shoes.
I guess they keep their heels in their handbags for when they’re at the office:)
That would totally be me, if I ever wore a business suit which I try to avoid at all costs :)
I do research depending where I'm travelling (and sometimes not at all). For example, when I went to Morocco I did some googling to make sure my clothing wouldn't offend anyone, but there is no way I could pass as a local no matter what I was wearing, so I didn't care about trendiness.
London is different, though. my accent will give me away as soon as I open my mouth and I always have a camera (I *am* a photographer, so I often have one even in my town :D), but I don't want my clothes to give me away.
thanks for the tips!
Yep, the camera would be a giveaway. Though I stowed mine in my extra large handbag, by the end of the trip I just kept it dangling around my neck because it was too much of a hassle to keep pulling it out!
In a professional business setting in Japan, you are required to wear stockings as well. The thing that struck me as odd, though, is that a lot of Japanese women choose to wear stockings when any part of their legs are exposed. So weird! (and borderline disturbing when they are wearing open toed shoes).
It depends on the location, but I definitely try to err on the side of dressy, especially when traveling within Japan.
to err on the side of dressy sounds like a really good philosophy!